Breaking down the season-opening matchup between No. 1 USC and Hawaii on Saturday at the Coliseum (4:30 p.m., Fox/11):

OFFENSE

The biggest reason USC is No. 1 in the preseason AP poll and No. 3 in the coaches’ poll is an offense that might be the nation’s best. Senior QB Matt Barkley is the favorite to win the Heisman Trophy after passing for 3,528 yards and a conference-record 39 touchdowns last season. If Robert Woods isn’t the best receiver in the country, teammate Marqise Lee might be. The Trojans also have two returning 1,000-yard rushers with the addition of impressive Penn State transfer Silas Redd. The only concern is at left tackle, where untested sophomore Aundrey Walker must replace first-round pick Matt Kalil. Under first-year coach Norm Chow, Hawaii should run an offense that looks similar to USC’s, but with lesser athletes. New QB Sean Schroeder, a Duke transfer who attended Dana Hills High, has an experienced receiving corps but an inexperienced offensive line.

EDGE: USC

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DEFENSE

USC’s defense has improved steadily since Lane and Monte Kiffin arrived in 2010, culminating with a season-ending shutout against UCLA last fall. Although the line is young, the back seven is loaded with experience and talent. One interesting position to watch Saturday is middle linebacker. Sophomore Lamar Dawson was the projected starter, but he missed most of training camp because of a calf injury. How much he’ll be able to play, if at all, remains to be seen. OLB Hayes Pullard, who tied for the team lead in tackles last season, made a seamless transition to the middle and could get the call in the opener. Hawaii will play a 4-3 under new coordinator Thom Kaumeyer and returns four defensive starters. They include LB Art Laurel, who had nine sacks last season, and CB Mike Edwards, who played for the Kiffins at Tennessee in 2009.

EDGE: USC

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SPECIAL TEAMS

As great as they have has been on special teams under John Baxter, the Trojans oddly have struggled to cover kickoffs. A year ago, USC ranked just 102nd in the nation, allowing 23.86 yards per return. Edwards averaged 24.68 yards last season, 42nd best in the country. The new kickoff rules – ball placed at the 35, touchback out to the 25 – could mitigate Edwards’ impact. USC has a bevy of game-breaking return options, including Woods, Lee and young, fast receivers George Farmer and Nelson Agholor. Kicker Andre Heidari increased his range and decreased his waist size in the offseason after making 15 of 17 FGs as a freshman. Kyle Negrete landed 19 punts inside the 20-yard line last season without a touchback and will try to extend that streak Saturday – if he’s called upon to punt.

EDGE: USC

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COACHING

Kiffin learned a lot about how to run an offense while working under Chow at USC from 2001-04. They subsequently went their separate ways and have squared off four times since, including once in the NFL. Their head-to-head record – all with Kiffin as a head coach and Chow an offensive coordinator – is 2-2. Kiffin referred to Chow as “one of the greatest minds to ever coach college football.” In his 40th season as a coach, the Honolulu-born Chow finally is in charge of his own team. He’s also the first Asian-American coach of a major college football program. Chow’s style is markedly different from the previous regime, and Kiffin noted that the first game for a new staff is often the most difficult. Kiffin has the advantage of having most of his staff and all of systems in place for two-plus years.

EDGE: USC

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INTANGIBLES

Home field is a big deal when you’re playing Hawaii, which is at least 2,500 miles away from every conceivable opponent’s stadium. Los Angeles is about the easiest-to-get-to destination for the Warriors, but they’ll be greeted by a capacity crowd of 90,000-plus fans fired up to see the top-ranked team in the nation for the first time. Kiffin said USC’s approach won’t change now that it’s bowl eligible for the first time since 2009. That said, the Trojans’ return to the BCS race does add a deeper meaning to all of their games. USC will face pressure unlike anything it has felt the past two seasons, but that shouldn’t matter Saturday. The Trojans have a familiarity factor with Chow, as he does them. The Trojans also seemed to be generally healthier this week after a spate of injuries during training camp.

EDGE: USC

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MATCHUP TO WATCH

USC’s defensive line returns only one starter (senior DE Wes Horton) and only three players with any meaningful experience on the Division I level. Hawaii’s offensive line returns only one starter (RG Dave Lefotu) and features two freshmen in the projected starting five. When the lines square off in the trenches, both coaching staffs will get an idea whether these youthful units can handle the rigors of big-time college football. USC hopes to rotate as many eight defensive linemen this season. That group includes one first-year freshman (DT Leonard Williams) and three redshirt freshmen (DE Greg Townsend Jr. and DTs Antwaun Woods and Christian Heyward). Ideally, those young players will gain not only experience but confidence over the next two weeks before USC faces smash-mouth Stanford on Sept. 15.

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PREDICTION

Hawaii was the first opponent USC faced under Lane Kiffin and an apropos first foe for the ’12 Trojans. Back in September 2010, the Trojans were in a wobbly state coming off a disappointing 9-4 season and facing severe NCAA sanctions. Just two years later, USC is back in the national-title chase. Hawaii, meanwhile, is the one in rebuilding mode. This is a mismatch in every sense, as the 41-point spread suggests. The point spread was the same when Stanford upset USC in 2007, but even if Barkley were to get hurt, it’s highly unlikely Hawaii could do the same. Despite a limited roster because of those sanctions, this USC team is deeper and more experienced than the one that beat Hawaii two years ago. These Trojans are also hungrier and determined to make an opening statement that they’re worthy of all their offseason acclaim.

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